College Accomodation Prices and Complaints
Dear New College, Oxford,
This is a request for information through the Freedom of Information Act.
What are the prices for College Accommodation from the last 10 years and projected prices for the next five years?
What are the management costs for providing student accommodation from the last 10 years?
What are the planned refurbishments for the next five years?
The number of complaints (including maintenance requests) regarding accommodation the college received from students during Michaelmas term. Including a Breakdown of the type of complaints.
Minutes from the meetings regarding the accommodation plans for the pandemic. Specifically, where decisions were made to open as many rooms as possible.
If you are to invoke Section 43 to withhold information in relation to any of these questions, please note you must provide details of the exact FOIA exemption, details of who would be prejudiced by this information, and a public interest test justifying a conclusion with arguments for and against the release of the information.
Please also be aware of your duty under section 16 (1) of the Act to advise and assist me in narrowing my request to bring it within the appropriate limit.
Yours Faithfully,
Jacob Hudson
Thanks for your FOIA enquiry.
1. Room rent is at the College website and has moved in line with
‘collegiate inflation’ (the local ‘Van Norden Index’, which is in essence
service-industry inflation) over the last 15 years or more; and will
continue to increase in this way for the foreseeable future.
2. The reference to ‘management costs’ is too vague a term to be able to
respond.
3. No ‘complaints’ have been received from students concerning student
accommodation; and the Home Bursar or Clerk of Works will shortly confirm
the number of ‘maintenance requests’ (dockets) received during this Term
directly from students in College bedrooms.
4. The request for ‘Minutes’ is too vague for a response to be made, but
see the website for information on our Covid safety plans and guidance to
students.
5. The College Officers ensured all College accommodation normally in use
could continue to be used in 20/21 given the required compliance with
relevant guidelines for Covid safe provision and also meeting appropriate
risk assessments concerning Covid safety. The physical layout of the
student accommodation in our various buildings and the high proportion of
en suite rooms enabled full utilisation of accommodation at the usual
occupancy rates.
Regards.
David Palfreyman, OBE, FRSA, MA, MBA, LLB
Bursar and Fellow
New College, Oxford, OX1 3BN
[1]01865 279536
Via PA: Tracy Curtis [2]01865 279550 or Sheena Hinton [3]01865 279549
Porters' Lodge: [4]01865 279500
New College is a registered Charity (Number [5]1142701)
David is also the Director of the Oxford Centre for Higher Education
Policy Studies ([6]oxcheps.new.ox.ac.uk), and a member of the OfS
Board. He is Visiting Professor in HE Law and Policy at Hunan Normal
University, China.
David's new publication, Universities and Colleges: A Very Short
Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2017), can be found [7]here
Recent publications are listed
here: [8]https://www.new.ox.ac.uk/david-palfreyman
[9]New College
New College Oxford is a chartered charitable corporation registered with
the Charity Commission (registered number [10]1142701) and whose
registered office is Oxford, OX1 3BN.
New College Oxford® is a registered trade mark - No. [11]2588652
For information about how we process data and monitor communications
please see our Privacy policy which can be found
at [12]https://www.new.ox.ac.uk/policy-documents/
Sorry for the delay, I had to ask a colleague to confirm numbers of
requests – 589 from students, taken from 2^nd October until 11am this
morning.
Kind regards
Michael Collett BSc (Hons) C.Build E MCABE
Clerk of Works
New College, Oxford, OX1 3BN
+44 (0)1865 279256
[1]www.new.ox.ac.uk
[2]key message signature 2
[3]New College
New College Oxford is a chartered charitable corporation registered with
the Charity Commission (registered number 1142701) and whose registered
office is Oxford, OX1 3BN.
New College Oxford® is a registered trade mark - No. 2588652
For information about how we process data and monitor communications
please see our Privacy policy which can be found at
[4]https://www.new.ox.ac.uk/policies-statut...
From: David Palfreyman
Sent: 01 December 2020 17:26
To: Jacob Hudson <[FOI #710418 email]>
Cc: Gez Wells <[email address]>; Michael Collett
<[email address]>; Tracy Curtis <[email address]>
Subject: Re: Freedom of Information request - College Accomodation Prices
and Complaints
Thanks for your FOIA enquiry.
1. Room rent is at the College website and has moved in line with
‘collegiate inflation’ (the local ‘Van Norden Index’, which is in essence
service-industry inflation) over the last 15 years or more; and will
continue to increase in this way for the foreseeable future.
2. The reference to ‘management costs’ is too vague a term to be able to
respond.
3. No ‘complaints’ have been received from students concerning student
accommodation; and the Home Bursar or Clerk of Works will shortly confirm
the number of ‘maintenance requests’ (dockets) received during this Term
directly from students in College bedrooms.
4. The request for ‘Minutes’ is too vague for a response to be made, but
see the website for information on our Covid safety plans and guidance to
students.
5. The College Officers ensured all College accommodation normally in use
could continue to be used in 20/21 given the required compliance with
relevant guidelines for Covid safe provision and also meeting appropriate
risk assessments concerning Covid safety. The physical layout of the
student accommodation in our various buildings and the high proportion of
en suite rooms enabled full utilisation of accommodation at the usual
occupancy rates.
Regards.
David Palfreyman, OBE, FRSA, MA, MBA, LLB
Bursar and Fellow
New College, Oxford, OX1 3BN
[5]01865 279536
Via PA: Tracy Curtis [6]01865 279550 or Sheena Hinton [7]01865 279549
Porters' Lodge: [8]01865 279500
New College is a registered Charity (Number [9]1142701)
David is also the Director of the Oxford Centre for Higher Education
Policy Studies ([10]oxcheps.new.ox.ac.uk), and a member of the OfS
Board. He is Visiting Professor in HE Law and Policy at Hunan Normal
University, China.
David's new publication, Universities and Colleges: A Very Short
Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2017), can be found [11]here
Recent publications are listed
here: [12]https://www.new.ox.ac.uk/david-palfreyman
[13]New College
New College Oxford is a chartered charitable corporation registered with
the Charity Commission (registered number [14]1142701) and whose
registered office is Oxford, OX1 3BN.
New College Oxford® is a registered trade mark - No. [15]2588652
For information about how we process data and monitor communications
please see our Privacy policy which can be found
at [16]https://www.new.ox.ac.uk/policy-documents/
We work to defend the right to FOI for everyone
Help us protect your right to hold public authorities to account. Donate and support our work.
Donate Now